Turning Torso is a mixed-use high-rise in Malmö, Sweden, developed by HSB Malmö and designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The project grew from Calatrava’s sculpture Twisting Torso: in 1999, HSB Malmö’s then managing director, Johnny Örbäck, saw the sculpture and proposed a residential building based on its turning form. 238
Located in Västra Hamnen, a coastal district within walking distance of Malmö city centre and the beach, the tower is 190 metres high. 1 Its structure comprises nine twisting cubes, each with five main floors; including intermediate floors, the building has 54 storeys, and the form rotates 90 degrees from base to top. 1 The project’s stated timeline records the first ground-breaking on 14 February 2001, construction starting in June 2001, and residents moving in from November 2005. 1
The building combines housing, offices and meeting facilities. HSB’s page lists 148 apartments, located from the third to the ninth cube, with about 13,500 m² of total apartment area. 18 The two lowest cubes contain offices, with about 4,000 m² of office space; meeting facilities operated by Sky High Meetings occupy the top two floors. 1 Swedish partner Samark Arkitektur & Design AB handled the interior design development, floor plans and material choices. 1 HSB Malmö owns the tower, while NCC was the construction contractor. 25